Master of Miniatures – Nikolai Aldunin (9 pics)

Seven camels in the eye of a needle. Can you imagine how steady your hand must be to create one of these miniature masterpieces? One breath could literally destroy an entire collection…

Coined the master of miniatures, Russian artist Nikolai Aldunin works between the beats of his heart, in order to keep his hands perfectly still. Using superglue, syringes and toothpicks, he creates works of art so tiny, a microscope is needed to see them.

Aldunin’s work naturally leads to some frustration. While crafting a miniature rifle, he lost the weapon’s butt after having worked on it for two weeks. “I had a sit-down and a smoke and calmed down,” he said, then decided to start all over again. “You musn’t get into a state or worry. Everything that you feel in your soul is transmitted to your hands.”

An idle bike on a narrow path.

It took Aldunin six months to create this gold AK-47. It consists of 34 individual parts.

This sculpture rests on the open face of a sliced apple seed.

The tank is made of gold.

This microscopic replica rests on a needle next to a grain of sugar.

A flea equipped with shoes, a saddle, and stirrups.

A likeness of the novelist Leo Tolstoy has been engraved on this grain of rice.